Clasp



D. L. PASSAGE.

CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, I920 1,344,816. mem Jun@ 29, 1920.

DON L. PASSAGE, F BENNI'NGTON, NEW YORK.

CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

APatented June 29, 1920.

Application led March 27, 1920. Serial No. 369,199.

5, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps, of which the following is a specilication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to'clasps and particularly to a clasp for use on overshoes, rain coats and like articles of wearing apparel.

The disadvantage of the clasp previously f used is that it is constantly becoming uniastened. there being no means provided 'to prevent `the movement of the material to which it is attached from causing it to become accidentally uniastened.

It is, therefore, an object oi' this invention to provide a clasp which is simple, compact in form, and which cannot be accidentallyunfastened.

` Another object is to provide a clasp ofthis kind, the catch of which includes a canted lug adapted to be disposed in openings formed in the 'keeper of the clasp so as to force the portion of the keeper adjacent the opening toward the catch and into the recess formed between the catch and lug, to render accidental.disengagement of the catch impossible regardless of the movement of the article or material to which the clasp is attached.

A still further object is to provide a U- shaped resilient catch having a loop member engaged with the bight portion of the Uf shaped catch to assist in maintaining the resiliency of the catch and to prevent binding of the catch on the keeper.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter more particularly described, fully claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of the clasp constructed in accordance with the embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 .is a vertical elevation showing the clasp unfastened.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates the keeper, and G the catch of the clasp which are arranged Afor interlocking engagement with each other. The keeper '5 consists of an arcuate plate including side wlngs which are extended back upon the plate towardeach other and in spaced relation to the plate to provide guide members 7. By this means, the catch is permitted to Jfreely slide in the guides 7. The plate of the keeper is yprovided with a plurality of openings '8, and an opening ^9 in one end thereof which cooperates with the end to form a loop, which permits the keeper to be attached tothe desired article without causing projections of any Ikind and at the same time permits the keeper to be readily manipulated.

The catch G consists of a length of resilient material which `is bent upon itself to provide spaced parallel arms 10 and 11, the arms being arcuate in formation to conlformV to the contour of the keeper. The arms 10 and l1V are sprung toward each other so that when the catch is in engagement with the keeper, the arms are constantly urged toward each other. The end portion of the arm 10, extends beyond the end portion of the arm 11 and is curved upwardly to provide a linger piece 12. A lug 13 is struck from or otherwise formed on the inner surface of the arm 10. It will be noted that this lug is canted or inclined toward the arm l1 inwardly of the ends of the arms. The lug is constructed to snugly engage in one of the openings 8 to hold the keeper in the desired position.

A loop member 14 is disposed in engagement with the bight portion 15 of the arms l0 and 11. This loop not only permits the keeper to be readily attached to the article wit out causing perforations, but also assists in retaining the resiliency of the arms by preventing the bight portion from being mashed. It also prevents the portion of the arms 10 and 11 adjacent the bight portion l5 from binding on the keeper.

In use, the keeper 8 is attached to an article of wearing apparel, such as an overshoe by means of material passed through the opening 9, the keeper 6 being secured in a similar manner by the material being passed into the loop member 14. The arm 11 of the catch is then inserted in the guides 7, the arm 10 being movable over the plate and the openings. In view of the fact that the arms 10 and 11 are sprung toward each other and the lug 13 canted inwardly of the ends of the arms, the lug will be caused to ride over the portion of the keeper containing the openings until the desired position has been reached, whereupon it will be forced through the openings by the resilient arms l() and 1l and will cause the portion of the keeper adjacent the opening through which it extends to be drawn into the recess formed between. the lug and the arm l() and as the arms l() and 11 are constantly urged toward each other, accidental disengagement of the catch from the keeper is impossible.

lllhen it is desired to release the catch, the finger piece l2 is grasped by the user and raised against the tension of the resilient arms, thereby causing the lug to be removed from the opening. The catch may then be readily disengaged from the keeper.

From the foregoing, it will be readily seen that this invention provides a novel form of clasp which can be readily fastened by simply engaging the catch with the keeper and moving it to the desired place. An important feature is that in view of the fact that the lug 13 is canted, it extends obliquely of the opening in which it is p0- sitioned so that even if the arms l() should lose their resiliency it would still be a difficult matter for the catch to be accidentally disengaged from the keeper.

I claim:

l. A clasp composed of a catch and keeper, the keeper including guides and having a plurality of openings, the catch comprising a U-shaped strip bent upon itself to provide parallel arms, one of said arms including a lug which inolines toward the other arm inwardly of the ends to provide a recess between the lug and the arm thereof, the other arm of the catch being arranged for sliding movement in the guides of the keeper, said lug being urged into one of the openings of the keeper, said catch causing the portion of the keeper surrounding the opening through which the lug extends, to be forced into said recess.

2. A clasp composed of a keeper and a catch for inter-locking engagement, the f keeper including guide flanges and having a series of openings, the catch comprising a length of resilient material extended back upon itself to provide a parallel arm, one of said arms being slidable in the guides of the keeper, a loop member engaged with the bight portion of the arms, said loop preventing binding engagement of the in- 'ermediate portion of the arms on the keeper, one of said arms including a lug adjacent its end portion, said lug being canted inwardly of said end portion between the arm, the end portion of the arm of the lug being extended upwardly to provide a finger piece, said canted lug being urged into and obliquely of one of the openings in the keeper through the medium of the resilient arms of the catch.

In testimony whereof l hereunto aflix my signature. Y

DON L. PASSAGE. 

